Auxiliary switch for automobile lighting systems



Aug. 18, 1925. Y

' A. H. lBUETTNER ET'AL AUXILIARY SWITCH FOR AUTONIOBILI;A LIGHTINQSYSTEMS Filed NOV' 25. 1922 "vill".

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akamu* .Lfetcnted Aug. 18a 19275,

PATENT orties.

AUXILrARY swrrcn Fon Autonomen LIGHTINGsYsTnMs.

Appncatpnuled `Novelfriber 25,1922. kSerial No. 603,192.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR H. BUn'r'r- NER and HAROLD F. Honrnir, citizens of the United States, residing at Alton, in the county of. Madison and State .ot Illinois, have invented certain new and use-ful llm- Vprovements in Auxiliary Switches tor Automobile Lighting Systems, or Vwhich the tollowing is a specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to devices tor controlling headlights, and .particularly to switches Vtor controlling the L'headlights from the steering wheel of an automobile.

l@ne ot the objects of this invention is to provide a .very simple andetlective switch t'or this purpose having very few parts and ,being readily attachable to or detachable from the steering wheel ot an automobile, which switch includes as a unit thereo'll a resistance coil, the switch being yadapted to be connected up in circuit with the ordinary dimmer and controlling switch ot the headlight so that the headlights may be made Abright or dim byy operating the auxiliary switch on the steering wheel without the necessity @fusing the dimmer switch o n the instrument board of themachine.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character ofextreme simplicity and in which merely two vwires lead from the switch to the circuitkincluc'ling the headlights and the usual instrument board switch. l

yOtherobjects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure lis a top plan view of the steering wheel ofy an automobile with ourswitch applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view ot the switch, the housingv being in section;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure;

Figure i is a longitudinal section' through the switch;

Figure 5 is a section on the line of VFi ure 4C;

' iure 6 is a diagram of 'the lighting system4 oit an automobile with our switch applied.1

Referring rto these drawings, 4it will be seen thatthespeciic switch which we have .devised for t-hispurpose comprises a base 10 Qt' hard tiber, bakeliteor other suitable insulating material. This base is preferably `somewhat oval in 'form andat opposite ends of the longer diameter of the base are upwardly extendingbosses l1. These bosses 1p1 "have inserted through them interiorly screw-threaded bushings 12 adapted to be engaged by screws 13. Resting at ,its Yends upon these bosses is a metallic Strip ,14 which between the bosses ot the vposts is covered with asbestos 15 andaround this asbestos is wrapped a resistance wire l16.

Restingupon the extremities ofthe resistance supporting strip Mare `liber or rubber washers 17, and disposed between these rubber washers andthe heads ot the screws 13 is an arched metallic strip w18`v themiddle portion: of which is thickened and interiorly screw-threaded at 19. At one point on the ,base 10 there is provided a screw 20, and

disposed beneath this .screw and insulated therefrom is a. metallic strip 21 whichextends tok a binding screw 22 which has screwthreaded engagement with abushing. One end of the resistance coil 'extends yto this binding screw 22 (see Figure 5).,and-the upper tace of this binding screw22 is tlattened so as to form a contact.

ADisposed beside but spaced tromthe screw 20 is a binding screw 24C also engaged in a Vbushino` 23 which asses throuO'h one end of a switch blade2h. This switch blade arches over the resistance unit and 'is adapt-edto bear upon the upper face of the binding screw or contact 22. 'Disposed alongside ythe binding screw or contactj22 is a. vbinding screw 26 whose upper tace is flattened and which extends fthrough a screw-threaded ,bushing 27, the other end of the resistance wire from the tirstnamed `end being connected to this 'binding screw 26.: Obviously the switch blade 25 l'may rest either upon the screw 22 or upon the screw 26. The switch blade is turned upward so as to form a handle 28, and enclosing the switch and forming the housingtherefor is a concavo-convex, dish-shaped, l.metallic cover2'9 pierced at its center forthe `passage of a screw 30 which engages the screwthreaded opening 19. This housing 29 is cut away at 3l to permit the projection olf the switch blade 28.

Preferably the liber base 10 is riveted to a second liber strip 32 which is provided with suitable clamping,- means 83 whereby it may be connected to the spider ot the steering wheel A.

This switch is connected up as illustrated in the diagrammatic view in Figure 6. The binding post or screw 24 is connected by a wire 34; to the bright light post 35 ol' the usual switch mounted on the instrument board of the machine. The usual resistance 36 of the dimmer is also connected up in this circuit, the usual switch blade 37 of the instrument board switch being adapted to engage over the contact 35 or the contact 38 for the resistance 86. From the blade 37 the usual wire 39 leads to the headlights 4:0 and a conductor leads from the headlights to the battery 41, and the battery 4l is connected as, for instance, by the wire 42 to the post 20.

It will be obvious now that when the switch blade 25 is shifted to the post 22 that the current will pass througih the lamp to the headlight without passing through the resistance wire 16, but that itl the switch blade be shi'tted to engage the contact screw 26 that the current will have to pass through the resistance coil 16 and thus the headlight will be dimmed. Ordinarily the switch blade 37 ot the main switch on the instrument board is turned simply into a bright light position and then if it be desired to dim the lights it is only necessary to shitl't the blade 25 ot the auxiliary switch from the contact 22 to the contact 26. If, however, it be desired to parl: the car and at the same time (lim the headlights, then not only may the switch blade 25 be shifted to the contact 26 but the switch blade 37 is shifted to the contact 36 so that the current has to pass through the two resistance coils 36 and 16, thus securing a double diminution ot the liggght `tor parking so that the light is just one-halt as bright as it would be when controlled by the ordinary dimmer. Where the lights are being dimmed upon passing` a moving` vehicle, in that case of course the light is only dimmed the usual amount. In other words, the switch 37 is already in its bright position or in engagement with the contact 35, while the switch bla-de 25 is shifted to cut in the resistance 16. It will be seen that only two wires pass from the auxiliary switch, that the device is extremely simple, and that it is applicable to all cars where the light is secured by storage batteries.

It will be seen that there is no change in the ordinary switch on the instrument board used 'for controlling the lights 0i" the car but that an auxiliary switch is provided mounted upon the steering wheel and controlled thereby and operatin` in connection with the main switch on the instrument board. it will be seen that the switch has very 'few parts, that it is very light and cannot readily getout ot order, and that it may he connected up in proper circuit without the necessity of skilled workmanship..

We claim:

1. A switch of the character described comprising a non-conductingl base, a resistance unit including a resistance coil supported on and in spaced relation to the base, a pair of contacts on the base at one side oi? the resistance unit and connected respectively to opposite ends ot the resistance coil. a pair of binding' screws on the base on the opposite side oi the resistance coil 'from the contacts, a metallic member connected at one end to one of said binding posts and extending; beneath the resistance unit and connected with one of said contacts, and a switch blade pivoted to the other of said binding posts, arching over the resistance unit and beine' movable into engagement with either of said contacts.

2. A swith of the character described comprising a non-conducting; base, a resistance unit includingl resistance coils supported on and in spaced relation to the base, a pair ol' contacts on the base at one side of the resistance unit and connected respectively to opposite ends of the resistance coil, a pair ot bindingT screws on the base on the opposite side of the resistance coil 'from the contacts, a metallic member connected at one end to one oi said binding` posts and extending` beneath the resistance unit and connected with one of said contacts. a switch blade pivoted to the other of said binding; posts, arching over the resistance unit and being movable into engagement with either oi said contacts, an arched member operatively supported upon the base and extending` over the switch blade, and a housing' detachably mounted upon said arched member and coverinp; the base and the binding screws and having' an aperture for the projection oic the switch blade.

3. A switch of the character described comprising a non-conducting base., a resistance unit including resistance coils supported on and in spaced relation to the base, a pair of contacts on the base at one side ol: the resistance unit and connected respectively to opposite ends of the resistance coil. a pair of binding screws on the base on the opposite side ci* the resistance coil from the contacts. a metallic member connected at one end to one of said binding posts and extendinp; beneath the resistance unit and connected with one of said contacts, a` switch blade pivoted to the other ot said binding posts, arching over the resistance unit and being movable into engagement with either of said contacts, an arched member at its ends resting upon the extremities of the resistance unit, screws extending through the ends of the arched member und through the resistance unit, and a housingv detachably closing the switch and resistance unit and having an aperture for the proj eetion of the switch blade.

In testimony whereof We hereunto aix our signatures. 

